Flocked sun-visor

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a flocked sun visor varying in colour, constitution, structure, haptics and appearance and a method for its manufacturing. The variable surface coating of the sun visor and the adaptation to the interior fittings of a motor vehicle is achieved by the applied flocks varying in material, shape, structure and colour. In the method for manufacturing flocked sun visors, the sun visor body having a hard and smooth surface, preferably a blow molded sun visor body made of plastic, is coated with adhesive and subsequently flocked by using electrostatic effects. In comparison to known methods for manufacturing sun visors having an attractive appearance, the present invention is cheaper and less time-consuming. There are five method steps: Cleaning, priming, adhesive coating, flocking and solidifying.

1. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a sun visor for motor vehicles forprotecting the head area of the passengers against the incidence ofsunlight. Particularly, the present invention relates to a new methodfor designing optically attractive sun visors.

2. PRIOR ART

[0002] Sun visors are plane, elongated bodies having differentthicknesses which are moveably mounted on the inside roof lining ofmotor vehicles. The sun visor can be arranged in such a way that itshades from light shining through the windows and thereby preventing alight dazzlement of the passengers in the motor vehicle.

[0003] In the prior art, different methods for producing sun visors areknown. First a technical embodiment of sun visors consists of forexample an inner wire frame determining the plane shape of the later sunvisor. The plane, stable configuration of the sun visor is achieved by asandwich construction wherein the inner of the wire frame is filled by areinforcing paper layer and wherein a foamed material layer isrespectively adhered to the large-surface sides of said paper layersimultaneously covering the wire frame. Finally, said sandwich structureis for example covered by cloth.

[0004] Beside the determination of the shape and the stabilization ofthe sun visor, the wire frame serves for receiving links in order tomount the sun visor at an appropriate position in the motor vehicle.According to other methods used for a long time, the wire frame issurrounded by a plastic foam. The sun visor produced in this way is thencovered by an appropriate material as described above.

[0005] Blow molding is a further new method for manufacturing sunvisors. To this end, an extruded non-rigid plastic tube is blow moldedin a tool using compressed air in a known manner to achieve the desiredshape. The plastic sun visors can be designed in their shape by usingcorrespondingly configured tools so that they can receive additionalequipment means as for example mirrors or lamps.

[0006] In order to improve the appearance of known used plastic sunvisors, these known sun visors as already mentioned where covered byappropriate methods. Cloth and plastic covering was particularly used.The covering by plastic layers is generally carried out by means ofultrasonic welding. The used plastic layers typically vary in colour andstructure and they can be different on the front and on the back side ofthe sun visor. While using cloth covers, an appropriate cloth havingstocking-like shape which comprises the shape of the sun visor isprocessed to be subsequently slipped on the sun visor. A clampingapparatus in the blow molded plastic sun visor body receives the openend of the stocking-like cloth cover whereby the sun visor gets a closedcloth cover having a very attractive appearance.

[0007] The above described covered plastic sun visors can be onlyproduced with high efforts and thus, they are expensive since the numberof the required method steps is considerable and the method steps arepartly very complicated. For example, the above described cloth coveredsun visors have to be handmade in a considerable extent.

[0008] It is therefore the problem of the present invention to provide asun visor by means of a simple and low cost method which has a highquality appearance, functionality and handling and which meets the mostdifferent requirements.

3. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The above and underlying problem of the present invention issolved by a sun visor according to claim 1 and by a method formanufacturing sun visors having a flocked surface according to claim 6.

[0010] The surfaces of the advantageously used blow molded sun visorbodies according to the invention can vary in colour, constitution,structure, haptics and appearance. The variable surface coating isachieved by the applied flocks in such a way that they vary in colour,shape, size and structure. The method of manufacturing a flocked sunvisor according to the present invention comprises five method stepsparticularly qualified for the automatic mass manufacturing. The methodsteps according to the most preferred method comprise the cleaning, thepriming, the applying of adhesive coating, the applying of flocks andthe solidifying of the coated sun visor body. Therefore, the presentmethod is executed with reduced process-technical and temporal effortscompared to known methods and provides a sun visor which can be designedas desired and corresponding to the requirements.

[0011] Preferred embodiments of the invention follow from the dependentclaims.

4. SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] In the following, the presently preferred embodiments of theinvention are shortly explained under reference to the drawing. Itshows:

[0013]FIG. 1 a schematical perspective view of a flocked sun visorwherein the structural configuration of the sun visor is shown by meansof a cut enlarged subsection; and

[0014]FIG. 2 a flowchart for explaining the different method stepsaccording to the invention.

5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] In the following, the presently preferred embodiments of thepresent invention are described in detail under reference to thedrawing.

[0016] The present invention serves for the provision of the sun visor 1which is schematically shown in FIG. 1. A schematic enlarged sectionalview 10 of the cut open sun visor 1 shows in detail the structuralconfiguration of the sun visor 1 according to a preferred embodiment.The basic structure of the flocked sun visor 1 is preferably formed by ablow molded plastic body 17 which is preferably made of polypropylene.The plastic body 17 is produced by a standard blow molding method and itcomprises a smooth, hard surface after its manufacture. However, alsoother sun visor bodies can be alternatively used as long as thegenerated surface is only so smooth and hard that the flocking accordingto the invention (see below) can be applied.

[0017] Preferably according to the invention, a primer 15 is applied tothe plastic body 17, particularly 800R by the company Du Pont. A furtherpossible primer is made of Cuvertin X8536 of the company Henkel. Incomparison to the plastic surface with no primer, the primer 15generates improved bonding conditions on the smooth and hard surface ofthe sun visor body 17 for the surface layer to be subsequently appliedaccording to the invention. In case of a preferably adhesive layer 13(see below) to be applied, said primer 15 protects the plastic body 17from the plastic solvent dissolver contained in the adhesive 13.

[0018] An adhesive coating 13 is preferably on said primer 15 particularALBUCRIL CRA14 of the company B F Goodrich or Flocksil 1506 of thecompany Henkel. Said adhesive coating 13 serves for fixing the flocks 11on the outer surface of the flocked sun visor 1. Because of this reason,the adhesive 13 is adapted to the different flock materials and flockstructures. First, said adhesive 13 must bond in the right way with saidflocks 11 on the basis of its chemical formation and second, saidadhesive 13 is only allowed to bind after a certain time since otherwisethe flocks 11 to be fixed cannot penetrate in the adhesive 13.

[0019] The flocks 11 determine the surface constitution and theappearance of the flocked sun visor 1 according to the invention basedon their material, their colour, their shape, their size and structure.Cotton, viscous, nylon, perlon, polyester are different possible flockmaterials which can be chosen depending on the interior fitting of themotor vehicle in which the flocked sun visor 1 is to be installed.Preferably according to the invention, POLYAMIDE 0.75 mm 3 Dtex is usedas flock material.

[0020] The method according to the invention of manufacturing a flockedsun visor 1 is now described by means of the flowchart depicted in FIG.2. A pre-manufactured sun visor body having a hard and smooth surface isthe starting point of the method. Preferably, a blow molded plastic body17 is used. During the preferred blow molding, a plastic tube is blowmolded within a lubricated tool. The lubricated inner sides of said toolserve for a better removing of said plastic body 17 from the used tool.

[0021] After said blow molding and the removing of the blow moldedplastic body 17 from said tool, fat residues are usually on the surfaceof said plastic body 17. In the first method step according to theinvention indicated with “cleaning” in FIG. 2, the fat residues areremoved from the surfaces of the plastic body 17. The cleaning iscarried out by spraying, dipping, flooding methods or manually inliposoluble cleaners. Said plastic body 17 is particularly cleanedwithin a cleaning chamber by the application of ammonia steam.

[0022] Subsequently in the second method step according to the inventionindicated as “priming” in FIG. 2, the plastic body 17 is primed by meansof a standard spraying method, as for example spraying using compressedair, wherein 800R of the company Du Pont is preferably used as a primer.The primer 15 serves for an appropriate basis for the following adhesivecoating 13 to be applied and it protects simultaneously the plastic body17 from the plastic solvent dissolvers contained in the adhesive.

[0023] After the drying of the primer 15, an adhesive coating 13 isapplied to the primed plastic body 17 in the third method step accordingto the invention indicated as “adhesive coating” in FIG. 2 by means of astandard spraying method as for example spraying by compressed airwherein ALBUCRIL CRA14 of the company B F Goodrich is preferably used.The adhesive 13 varies in its chemical composition dependent on theflocked material to be applied. Additionally, the adhesive 13 is onlyallowed to bind after a certain time sufficient to apply the flocks onthe adhesive coating 13. The advantage of these adhesive properties isexplained in method step 4.

[0024] The fourth method step indicated with “flocking” in FIG. 2,comprises the application according to the invention of flocks 11,preferably polyamide 0.75 mm 3Dtex, on the adhesive 13 coated surface ofthe primed plastic body 17. The application plication of flocks 11 isdescribed by the schematical illustration in the method step 4 of FIG.2. The flocks 11 to be applied are preferably placed in a sieve to whicha high electrical voltage is applied in the range of kilovolt. Theadhesive coated plastic body 17 is connected to ground. Based on theelectrostatic attraction, the flocks are then attracted by the plasticbody 17 and they partly penetrate in the not yet solidified adhesivecoating 13 during impact on the adhesive surface. The part of the flocks11 partly penetrated in the adhesive 13 fixes the respective flock aftersolidification of the adhesive 13 and it enables in this manner that theflocks 11 cannot be loosened while touching the flocked sun visor.

[0025] After flocking the whole surface of the plastic body, thesolidification of the adhesive 13 on the plastic body 17 is carried outin the fifth method step according to the invention indicated with“solidifying” in FIG. 2. To this end, the flocked plastic body 17according to the invention is kept at a certain temperature for acertain time. Dependent on the used materials in the method and theavailable time during the manufacturing process, the duration and thetemperature of the storage is varied. In the method preferred accordingto the invention, the flocked sun visor 1 is kept 10 minutes at 50 to60° C.

[0026] List of Reference Numbers 1 Flocked sun visor 10 Cross-section ofthe flocked sun visor 1 11 Flocks 13 Adhesive 15 Primer 17 Plastic body

1. A sun visor (1), particularly a blow molded sun visor, characterizedby a sun visor body (17) having a hard, smooth surface which comprisesan adhesive coating (13); and by flocks (11) fixed to said adhesivecoating (13).
 2. Sun visor (1) according to claims 1, characterized inthat said sun visor body (17) is made of polypropylene.
 3. Sun visor (1)according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that said adhesive coating(13) is made of ALBUCRIL CRA 14 of the company B F Goodrich.
 4. Sunvisor (1) according to the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that theflocks (11) are made of cotton, viscous, polyamide and/or polyester. 5.Sun visor (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that said flocks(11) comprise different colour, shape, size and structure.
 6. Sun visor(1) according to claim 4 and 5, characterized in that said flocks (11)are made of POLYAMID 0.75 mm 3 Dtex.
 7. A method for manufacturing aflocked sun visor (1), comprising the following steps: a) applying anadhesive coating (13) on a sun visor body; b) applying flocks (11) onsaid adhesive coating (13) of said sun visor body.
 8. Method accordingto claim 7, characterized in that said sun visor body is cleaned aftermanufacturing and after applying the adhesive coating (13).
 9. Methodaccording to claim 8, characterized in that said sun visor body iscleaned by means of ammonia, particularly ammonia steam.
 10. Methodaccording to one of the claims 7 to 9, characterized in that said sunvisor body is primed after the cleaning.
 11. Method according to claim10, characterized in that said primer (15) is sprayed on andsubsequently dried.
 12. Method according to one of the claims 10 or 11,characterized in that said primer (15) is 800R of the company Du Pont.13. Method according to one of the claims 7 to 12, characterized in thatsaid adhesive (13) is sprayed on.
 14. Method according to claim 13,characterized in that said adhesive (13) is ALBUCRIL CRA 14 of thecompany B F Goodrich.
 15. Method according to one of the claims 7 to 14,characterized in that said flocks (11) are electrostatically appliedwherein said flocks (11) are placed in a flock receptacle, wherein saidflock receptacle is connected to a high voltage and wherein said sunvisor body is grounded to earth.
 16. Method according to claim 15,characterized in that said flock receptacle comprises a sieve throughwhich the flocks (11) exit said receptacle.
 17. Method according to oneof the claims 7 to 16, characterized in that said flocked sun visor bodyis solidified.
 18. Method according to claim 17, characterized in thatsaid flocked sun visor body is solidified by a temperature T=50-60° C.and a time t=10 min.